Three die in Maharashtra after drinking ‘poisoned’ water

Akola (Maharashtra), Feb 23 (IANS) Three people including a 12-year-old boy have died after drinking water from a pond in Nimbi-Kosgaon village of Maharashtra, officials said Saturday. The deceased - Yamunabai Dakhore (65), Sindhu Thakre (40) and her son Gajanan Thakre (12) - quenched their thirst from the temporarily dug-up water source while returning home after collecting fuel-wood from the nearby forest close to here, village sources said.

While Yamunabai and Sindhu died in the Akola General Hospital late Friday night, Gajanan breathed his last Saturday afternoon, hospital sources said.

While no district council officer was available to give details, village sources surmised the tragedy could be a result of poisoning of the water source by some poacher.

“Incidents of poachers excavating sand along the river banks to create temporary ponds and sprinkling poison in the impounded water for wild animals are quite common,” a villager said, adding that the three might have consumed water from such a temporary water body.

“The viscera of the deceased have been sent for forensic tests and the report that could throw light on the nature of the poison mixed in the pond water is awaited,” Lanjewar said.

Additional District Superintendent of Police Padwal told IANS that he had been informed of the incident but did not have any further details.